Culture and the arts in education : critical essays on shaping human experience

Few people are considered statesmen within their chosen profession but this, indeed, is an apt characterization of Ralph Smith within the field of art education.... This compilation provides an opportunity to study the development of his thinking over the past three decades.

This collection of Ralph Smith's writings provides a comprehensive overview of his extraordinary contributions to understanding the importance of aesthetics in education. These essays record his lifelong efforts to construct a defensible rationale for the arts in general education and a workable curriculum for art education in our public schools (K-16). The topics covered range from liberal education to arts education, the relationship of art, aesthetics, and aesthetic education to teaching and curriculum, the arts and the humanities, and cultural diversity.

About the Author:
Ralph A. Smith is Professor Emeritus of Cultural and Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Presents a collection of Ralph Smith's writings that provides a comprehensive overview of his contributions to understanding the importance of aesthetics in education. These essays record his efforts to construct a rationale for the arts in general education, and a curriculum for art education in our public schools (K-16).